Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Bahraini counterpart Gen Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa have stressed the need to further boost collaboration in counterterrorism and anti-human trafficking efforts between their countries.

Pakistan and Bahrain share close fraternal ties based on shared culture and religion, with both countries having cooperation in security and economy.

Naqvi met with Gen Rashid in Manama on Thursday, according to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA). Both officials emphasised the need to “further strengthen their security collaboration”, state-run Radio Pakistan reported today.

The two sides held discussions on bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, combating human trafficking and anti-narcotics efforts. They also mulled making the Pakistan-Bahrain Joint Security Committee more effective.

The Bahraini interior minister expressed his appreciation for cooperation and coordination between the two countries in various fields, including security, according to Radio Pakistan.

“We value the security cooperation with Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying.

On his part, Naqvi highlighted that enhancing cooperation in counter-narcotics and anti-human trafficking efforts was the “need of the hour”.

Naqvi was received by Gen Rashid upon his arrival at the Bahrain International Airport and was presented with a guard of honour at the Ministry of Interior headquarters, BNA reported.

Deputy Interior Minister Lt Gen Adel bin Khalifa Al-Fadhel, the chief of Public Security Forces, and senior ministry officials were also present during the meeting.

In February, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed a desire to increase the trade volume between the two countries in a meeting with a parliamentary delegation from Bahrain.

Speaking to the same delegation days before, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said Pakistan and Bahrain have vast opportunities to explore collaboration in investment, trade, information technology and tourism.

In December last year, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf met Bahrain’s top civil and military leadership during an official visit to the kingdom.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir met with King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa in January 2024, and with Commander of the National Guard Gen Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa in March that year.